SOMALI NUTRITION STRATEGY 2011 – 2013 - ReliefWeb

alongside nutrition programmes in a timely manner.
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Under UN humanitarian reform, the cluster approach has been developed to strengthen
coordination and give predictability and accountability to the humanitarian response. There are
currently nine cluster sectors for Somalia: health, WASH, food aid, agriculture and livelihoods,
education, nutrition, protection, logistics and shelter and currently inter cluster working group
coordination meetings are held. This strategy places great importance on improving inter cluster
and inter working group collaboration for a multi-sector approach to addressing the cross cutting
factors that determine nutritional status, growth and development in Somalia.
International Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) Although access may be restricted,
International NGOs continue to be important partners providing additional technical capacity and
skills in nutrition and new innovations in programme delivery.
Academic, Research and Global Advocacy Institutions: A new area to be explored is to
access expertise from internationally recognized organizations and improve linkages with local
organisations and institutions. Some of these institutions may include: Tufts University, World
Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN),
Micronutrient Initiatives (MI). Links to academic institutions can open up options for the organisation
of specific nutrition trainings in the region and distance learning courses.
c) The Private Sector
The private sector in Somalia has an important potential contribution to make towards improving
the nutrition situation in country. One of the key areas to engage with the private sector on is the
control of the marketing and promotion of breast milk substitutes, possibly looking at supporting
the private sector to promote appropriate complementary foods to prevent malnutrition in place
of infant formula. Advocacy and sensitisation of the private sector on the International Code on
marketing of breast milk substitutes is an important first step towards a longer term consultative
process on its adoption. The private sector also has a key role to be explored in the potential
for importing fortified foods, in particular cereal flours. In addition, there are opportunities for
developing private public partnerships in the social marketing of micronutrient supplements as
has been successfully applied to low cost water purification tablets and long lasting insecticide
treated bed nets in Somaliland.
4.3 Zonal differences
The overall goal and outcomes are the same for Somaliland, Puntland and South Central
Somalia but the situational analysis provides evidence of the need for a different approach
to implementation in the different zones. Coverage of services for the management of acute
malnutrition has improved considerably in the last few years. Maintaining these achievements and
striving for improved quality of services is particularly important in South Central Somalia where
rates of acute malnutrition were found to be the highest of all zones in the recent Post deyr 09/10
seasonal assessment (median GAM 19%, median SAM 4.4%) and 81% of acutely malnourished
live. Yet here is where structure and systems through which to implement are more limited and
humanitarian space to intervene is most restricted. To overcome these challenges, there is a
need to concentrate on implementing through local NGOs and community-based initiatives as
government structures emerge and evolve. Until the situation becomes more secure, programmes
must be managed by remote control and innovative mechanisms for delivery of interventions
developed. Many of the important public health initiatives proposed in the action plan may need
to be started on a smaller local basis, to be scaled up as the political and security situation allows.